The BBC’s newest reality TV show, I’d Do Anything is due to kick off this Saturday night, and to get you in the mood for all those cute little Olivers, and buxom Nancy’s, we have put together ten facts that you might not know about Oliver the stage show!

1. Oliver! was the creation of British composer, playwright and lyricist Lionel Bart (1930-1999).
2. He had no formal music education and could neither read nor write music.
3. Oliver! first opened at the New Theatre (later the Albery and now the Noel Coward Theatre) in June 1960 and ran for more th 2,600 performances.
4. The show opened on Broadway in 1963.
5. Barry Humphries created the role of Mr Sowerberry in the original London production and reprised the role on Broadway.
6. In 1968, the film version of Oliver! was released, starring Mark Lester in the title role. In 1969, the film won five Oscars including Best Picture and five other Oscar nominations.
7. It was also nominated for eight BAFTAs in the same year, as well as winning two Golden Globes and being nominated for a further three.
8. In 1967, Oliver! was revived for the West End at the Piccadilly Theatre, where Barry Humphries starred as Fagin. He reprised the role in Cameron Mackintosh’s 1994 revival at the London Palladium, where the show ran from December 1994 to February 1998.
9. Oliver! has been performed throughout the world in 15 different languages.
10. In Food, Glorious Food, the boys dream of cold jelly and custard. But in foreign translations of productions, some of the local delicacies they long for are goulash soup (Hungary), meat pudding (Sweden) and huge cakes and pork chops (Poland)!